Savannah council discusses crime, taxes and names new city attorney

Friday

Sep 21, 2012 at 12:19 AM

Lesley Conn

Savannah City Council on Thursday addressed holiday homicides, hired a new city attorney and analyzed the potential tax hit that city residents could take if Chatham County's local option sales tax proposal is accepted.

Here's how the day unfolded:

Crime rate and killings

Savannah-Chatham Police Chief Willie Lovett offered assurances that a series of Labor Day killings was an aberration and that arrests should soon be expected in two downtown shootings.

He offered updated statistics to show crime continues to trend downward, but told council he was planning to ask for additional personnel as part of this year's budget. Council has encouraged him to ask for extra officers to create a street-level drug unit. Lovett has explained its mission would be separate from the Chatham-Savannah Counter Narcotics Team, which focuses on mid- to high-level drug operations.

He also wants more investigators to handle unsolved homicides.

Overall, department statistics show, total crime is down 13 percent compared to last year, and, if the trend continues through December, the last three years will have the lowest overall crime rates for the city since the 1970s.

The Central Precinct has shown the best overall drop in crime, with stats dropping 25 percent since 2007. He credited innovative tactics from precinct commander Capt. DeVonn Adams.

The only problem precinct, Lovett said, remains Southside, where data shows an overall 4 percent increase compared to last year.

"If I had to talk about a hiccup in the department," Lovett said, "this is where it would be."

The precinct has initiated efforts, including better mobilizing its crime suppression unit, to improve its numbers, Lovett said.

Savannah was rocked over the Labor Day weekend by a series of particularly violent crimes, which renewed concerns about public safety.

On Sept. 1, Michael Biancosino, 30, and Emily Pickels, 21, were gunned down in their vehicle at Henry Street near Montgomery Street. The next day, Tiyates Lamont Franklin, 19, was shot to death near River Street, and later in the afternoon of Sept. 2, officers discovered the body of Thomas Phelps at his Talahi Island home. Phelps' 14-year-old son, Preston Phelps, has been charged with murder in that case. His mother, Judith Phelps, faces related charges of concealing a death, tampering with evidence, making false statements and hindering the apprehension of a felon.

Lovett also told Alderman John Hall investigators had made significant progress on a homicide in Edgemere/Sackville. Police discovered the body of 40-year-old Milton Moffett shot to death inside the living room of his home in the 1300 block of East 54th Street on Aug. 18.

A bigger city tax burden

Savannah, other local cities and Chatham County officials begin the first day of mediation on Wednesday to try to resolve an impasse over how to divide local option sales tax dollars that generate about $60 million a year.

Chatham County officials have proposed a formula that would change their split from 17.8 percent to 55 percent, and they justify it mostly by saying county residents must shoulder the burden for services such as jail and court operations, animal control and ambulance services that serve all citizens.

Savannah city officials counter that they serve residents throughout the region and bear costs for police, road repair and social service programs.

The proposal from the municipalites follows guidelines established for dividing the taxes and is closer to the existing formula.

Chief Financial Officer Dick Evans advised council Thursday that based on the county's formula, the city would lose $19.8 million a year. That shortage would have to be made up by raising property tax rates, which he calculates would need to increase from 12.5 mills to 17.74.

Based on those numbers, a homeowner with property valued at $80,000 would see city taxes increase from $400 a year to $568. A homeowner with a property valued at $200,000 would see city taxes increase from $1,000 a year to $1,419. That does not include the additional county and school taxes paid.

Council members plan to hold district meetings and put out public information to let residents know the impact of the proposal.

Council member also plan to continue to reach out to county commissioners to explain that about 75 percent of residents in the county would see a tax increase because municipalities would be forced to raise their property taxes.

Mediation continues to Oct. 11. If an agreement can't be reached, the next step would be arbitration.

Stillwell named attorney-elect

Council members in regular session unanimously approved naming Brooks Stillwell its next attorney. He will serve as attorney-elect for the next 30 days, when City Attorney James Blackburn will then take the honorary title of attorney emeritus.

Stillwell served 17 years as an alderman and as mayor pro tem on council and is a partner at HunterMaclean.

Stillwell will earn a base salary of $180,000 a year for up to 1,091 hours. After that, he will be paid $165 an hour up to $220,000, at which point he works without additional billing.

Council members took time on Thursday to recognize Blackburn for his dedication and integrity during his 51 years of legal service to the city.